The Match Review Committee has been busy after Friday night in Round 23 of the NRL season, with four players cited across the Warriors-Panthers and Roosters-Bulldogs fixtures.
The five charges are headlined by Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs forward Kurt Mann, who faces two separate charges from the same game.
Paul Alamoti from the Penrith Panthers was the only player cited from the Warriors-Panthers match, picking up a Grade 1 Dangerous Throw charge in the 24th minute for an incident involving Leka Halasima.
It's a first offence for Alamoti, meaning he can take the early guilty plea for a $1,000 fine, or risk a $1,500 fine by contesting it at judiciary.
Sydney Roosters forward Victor Radley was charged with a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle at the end of the first half on Kurt Mann.
Since it is a second offence for him, the fine is steeper. It is a $1,800 fine with an early plea, rising to $2,500 if he's found guilty after fighting the charge.
The Bulldogs come out of the match with the most judiciary attention, with two players and three charges between them.
Kurt Mann had a night to forget, copping two charges.
The first was a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle in the 41st minute on Connor Watson.
The second charge is a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge after a ill-performed tackle on Robert Toia in the 55th minute of the match.
It is Mann's first offences and both charges were given a $1,000 fine with an early guilty plea, $1,500 if he challenges and loses.
Harry Hayes rounds out the judiciary charges after a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle on Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase.
It is a second offence for Hayes, with a $1,800 fine with an early plea, $2,500 if he loses to Victor Radley.
None of the charges carry any suspension and will be free to take the field again in Round 24.
I thought at the time, and I’ve seen replays that confirm my view, that Alamoti was unlucky to be sin-binned and cited.
Most incidents leading to a player coming down on his neck are cause by several defenders piling in and twisting the attacker. They have time to figure out what’s going on, and change their tackle.
By contrast, the Alamoti incident was simply one-on-one: a couple of players meeting at high speed. Yes, the Warriors player ended up on his neck, but that outcome could not have been predicted. I didn’t see Alamoti making a tackle that could ONLY have that outcome.
I’m no Penrith fan, but I thought they were hard-done-by with this sin binning.
Another bunker stuff-up. (And don’t start me talking about Penrith losing a try because a [player was deemed fractionally in front of the kicker. That happens a couple of dozen times in every match, and is never pulled up.)